First Year First Semester – Q of Hearts – Mansion (Part 1)

Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.

The search magic that I invoked flew into an old western-styled mansion, outside of the royal capital.
It’s a very large building, but perhaps because it isn’t normally used, the garden is a mess.

“This place? …Why is Mei in a place like this?”

Raiga frowned in doubt.

We landed near the gate to the mansion. I put away the quill, and stepped down onto the wet ground.
Achille landed as well, right beside me.
The light that was pursuing Royce-sama and the light pursuing Mei both indicated the same place.

“Aahh, I have an idea about the culprit. It’s probably one of the people currying up favour with my father.”

“If it comes down to it, do you think you can fight? From here on out, it might be dangerous.”

“Not a problem.”

On this occasion, Raiga will be helping as well.
In the game, he was used to fighting, and was the strongest romantic interest. Whether he’s the strongest right now is a little hard to say, but he shouldn’t be weak.

Raiga drew a slender sword from the scabbarb at his waist. It was a thin, and straight longsword.

“The lightning protection magic is still in use, so please feel free to go as crazy as you’d like.”

Raiga let out a grin at my words. He wants to stain the people who kidnapped Mei with blood, doesn’t he?
I understand his feelings quite well; I too can’t forgive the culprits who abducted Royce-sama.

I began by grandly destroying the gate.
I mean, there are probably guards lying in wait at any rate. I don’t like small fights.
Just as I suspected, a number of men who seemed to be guards came bustling out from the mansion.
Is that thirty of them altogether?
They came running across the soaked ground, aiming for us.

I let loose lightning magic. An electric current transmitted through the wet ground. The whole garden was filled with golden light.
We had defence against lightning, so we were unharmed.

Stepping over the guards who were unable to move now, we invaded the mansion.

“Camille! Suddenly destroying the gate is too reckless! The ground just happened to be wet so you could take them out in one go, but if it wasn’t…”

“It’s okayyyyy, Achille. Because of what we did just now, Royce-sama will know that we’ve come to save him.

“The enemies will have known as well, though. Camille, we’re still students, and we’re not professionals at combat like this, so don’t do anything reckless. I sent a communication spell towards the castle just now, so if it becomes dangerous, don’t charge on ahead and wait for reinforcements. Okay?”

Achille was looking at me worriedly. It seems that his bad mood from before has softened a little.

“It’s fine. It’s different from ten years ago. I’ve gotten stronger, you know.”

In the incident ten years ago, I was stabbed in the stomach by an enemy, and collapsed.
Luckily, the mana sleeping inside me was transmitted through the man’s weapon which burnt the man completely, saving us.
Had that not happened, I would’ve probably lost my life at that time. Achille is worried about that.
After it happened, I bawled right before his eyes, after all…

“Got it… I’ll be careful.”

I replied obediently. It’s my fault that he’s a worrier, after all.
Achille looked at me with suspicious eyes, but was satisfied for now.
I sure don’t have any trust, huh…

※

Whilst chasing the light, we passed through a hallway with nobody in it, and went up a flight of stone stairs.
We’ve all braced ourselves so that we’d be okay with enemies appearing at any time.
Just as I was about to reach the next floor, an arrow came from above.
After I put up a magic shield, Achille fired magic at the offender.
Oohh, we made a good combo!
But from what happened just now, it seems they’re planning to ambush us… We continued up the stairs, even more vigilant than before.

“Camille…”

Achille suddenly pulled my arm.

“Wa-… -sounds of balancing herself- What’s up, Achille?”

“Look below you.”

I turned my gaze to my feet just like Achille told me to. Right in front of me was a transparent thread spread out.
You wouldn’t see it unless you looked carefully, it but seems it was a trap. If you moved the thread, the trap would probably activate. That was close.

“Achille, thank you…”

I honestly told him my thanks. It would be unbearable if there were more traps.
I created magical blades of wind, and fired them up ahead.

With a snapping noise, each thread was cut, and a rain of arrows and axes and pitfalls and the like appeared.
Honestly… I’m glad that I didn’t get caught in them.

“Scary…”

We advanced while avoiding traps. It would be no joke to get caught in one of these.
I’m timid now because of the traps from before, so my whole body is shielded as I fly on my quill through the air.
After passing through the area with traps, as expected, we found guards in wait.

There were roughly fifty in the hall and thirty in hiding; just how many soldiers is this guy employing?
The signs of wrongdoing are overwhelming.

Wait, Achille thinks it’s dangerous for Camille to charge at the enemies, but he doesn’t think it’s dangerous going on raids, especially against a dragon (her alone) =o
Thanks for the chapter ero aniki

Translator #2

When not swimming with polar bears or sleeping in an igloo, likes to stare at incomprehensible moon runes believing them to be messages from the ancestors. Until the caribou meat runs out. Was promoted to Deputy? Arbiter by a wandering Sheeprabbit on a hunt one day and brought to a place named after some person called Chan, Onii.

Translator #3

Translator #4

Hey everyone, I'm Kou-san and I translate stuff.
I hopped on board because my social life was dying and I needed something to keep me from descending into darker chuuni pits. Now, back to learning how to run on water...

Translator #8

Hello, Kudarajin de~su! I'm just a student passing by, translating stuff! Started this since there was a series I really liked that I wanted to share with everyone. I'm trying to share the joy I feel when I read web novels with more people around the world! Now that my self-introduction is over, back to my glorious plan to turn everyone in the world into bookworms...

Translator #9

Graphical Editor #1

Graphical Editor #2

It was a dark and stormy night...the little slug, abandoned by all of it's friends, moved onwards. It undertook a hard and unwelcome journey. The ground was slippery cobblestone, all sunny-gleam and glass-sharp marble gluing the jagged edges together to resemble something beautiful. Walking upon the path would have hurt the slug, considering all the jagged pebbles knocked aside to and fro that it had to crawl over, if not for the water that fell from the sky and aided the slug's way to a place of suitable shells. And on the slug continued on this path, a little nervous but a lot determined, until two long shadows coalesced and stood in its way. "Slug! It's a slimy slug!" one crowed mockingly, laughing cruelly along with other shadows in a discordant symphony as they loomed over the slug, dark and threatening. "I'm not a slug!" it said in response, even as it flinched back. "I am a snail, like the rest of the snails. I just have no shell." The shadows did not seem to hear, and they surrounded the slug, holding sticks and tossing it around. "Stop!" the slug cried, but they did not stop. The rain spilled over the slug, until it didn't, and the slug lay helpless on the side of the streets, unmoving. There were many voices, screeching their victory as they walked into the distance, and the slug was bitterly reminded of the insults its siblings had told it. It did not resist as it was kicked harshly by a passing object and thrown into the air, landing on its soft underside so quickly it faded into unconsciousness, prone and helpless to any that wanted to eat it. It sadly thought that, perhaps, its siblings had been right. However, the slug did not die. It came to, after a long, long time, to see a large, patterned rock. "...Hello?" the slug whispered mutely, voice weak and barely audible, not expecting an answer. But surprisingly, the rock moved, revealing a wisened head that craned over to look at the slug. "Hello," it greeted calmly, "What are you? I have not seen any like you before." The slug took a long moment to comprehend its words, and even then, it felt floored. Someone who had not heard of slugs at all? "I...am a snail, who has no shell, seeking a place of suitable shells that will fit me, like the shells in the place of suitable shells near my home that fit my kin." "Is that so?" the other asked. "I cannot understand, for this shell of mine has been mine ever since my birth. I can, however, understand the need for a shell to watch your back and hide you away from the world, if that is why you wish for a shell." "It is," the slug replied. "It must be a joy to you, to have a shell crafted for you for your lifetime." "But I cannot choose another," the other answered, "While you can." It was a long, quiet moment of contemplation before the other spoke again. "Do you think this shell of mine is good?" The slug was startled, but it answered willingly enough. "Yes." "Do you think this shell of mine is strong?" "Yes," the slug answered, this time a lot more slowly, bemused. The other gave a tiny, weak smile. "Do you think this shell of mine is suitable?" The slug did not hesitate. "Yes," it said, and it could not have said anything more profound. "What are you?" the slug finally queried. "I am a turtle." And the turtle smiled wider, kindly. It may have been just a feeling. It may have been just a thought. But the turtle also said these very words: "You are a snail with a shell." And even though the turtle's shell was all lines and edges and angles, and the shells of the snail's brethren were all curls and swirls wrapping itself into rings of promise, the slug was a snail with a shell, and that was all that mattered.